Five EU nations agree on migrant return hubs by 2027

Five European Union nations have agreed on a common model for "return hubs" to be established in non-EU countries, aiming to send migrants whose asylum applications have been rejected to these facilities as early as 2027. The agreement was reached Friday in Copenhagen by ministers from Denmark, Germany, Austria, the Netherlands, and Greece, a group known as the "Group of Five." The initiative is part of a broader European effort to manage migration by sending individuals without legal residency to third countries outside the bloc, particularly when return to their home countries is not feasible. Danish Immigration and Integration Minister Morten Bødskov stated that the countries are moving toward a fundamental transformation of the common European migration and asylum system. He emphasized that the hubs are intended not as detention centers but as places offering "opportunities" or "a new chance" for irregular migrants. The five nations have been negotiating with governments, primarily in Africa, to host these facilities. While specific partner countries have not been disclosed, Uganda and Rwanda have been mentioned in press reports as potential locations.